// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Blue Zoo Animation Studio say to the fish? You're a reel asset.
 Logo used since 2012 | |
| Industry | Animation Television production Advertising |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000[1] |
| Founders | Oli Hyatt Adam Shaw Tom Box |
| Headquarters | |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | www |
Blue Zoo Animation Studio is a British animation studio known for producing children's television series, commercials and short films. Founded in 2000 by Oli Hyatt, Adam Shaw, and Tom Box from Bournemouth University,[1] the studio has gone on to win numerous BAFTAs and in 2021 won two Daytime Emmy awards. They have also previously won the Best Places to Work in TV survey by Broadcast and Best Companies Group.
Some of the more well-known children's shows the studio has produced are Alphablocks, Numberblocks, Digby Dragon, Miffy's Adventures Big and Small, The Adventures of Paddington, Tree Fu Tom, and It's Pony.
The company operates from a studio in Fitzrovia, London, where they have a team of over 200 artists. Blue Zoo later opened a second studio in Brighton called Brighton Zoo in 2022, in the partnership with Plug-In Media, and is 'dedicated to episodic 2D animation'.[2][3]
In 2021, the company became the first major animation studio in the world to achieve B Corp certification.[4]
History
[edit]In December 2009, Blue Zoo Animation Studio entered the video platform service by partnering with animator Junior Jesman and distributor Cake Entertainment to develop and produce an animated web series entitled If I Was... for French streaming network Dailymotion with Blue Zoo providing and developing animation services and Cake Entertainment distributing the series online.[5]
In April 2014, Blue Zoo and a Dutch company Mercis BV collaborated on the production of Miffy animated CGI series, which was released one year later.[6]
In 2019, Blue Zoo strengthened its position as a world-class production company with the expansion into the rights management and distribution activities by launching its rights division dedicated to its own and third-party IP named Blue Zoo Rights with Alison Warner heading the new rights division.[7]
During the annual Cartoon Forum held in September of the same year, Blue Zoo partnered with Belgian production company Studio 100, through the latter's distribution arm Studio 100 Media and its subsidiary m4e, to produce an CGI-animated preschool series entitled Monika's Garden, but no news for that series was made since.[8]
In 2022, Blue Zoo and Brighton-based producer Plug-In Media established a joint-venture regional animation production and interactive studio called Brighton Zoo, based in Brighton, South England. Their first collaboration and animated production was Supertato.[9][10] Later in the same year, Blue Zoo expanded into the French production business by partnering with Paris-based animation production studio Samka Productions to launch an animation studio and post-production company called Kazoo Animation.[11]
In 2024, the company's show Numberblocks reached 10 million subscribers on YouTube.[12]
List of long form productions
[edit]Television
[edit]| Title | Years | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Story Makers | 2002–2004 | CBeebies | Animation services for Blue Cow segments only, produced by BBC Children's Production |
| Tikkabilla | 2002–2007 | Animation services for animated segments and Sami's Worlds only, produced by BBC Children's Production | |
| Those Scurvy Rascals | 2005–2006 | Nickelodeon UK | co-production with Entara |
| Doodle Do | 2006 | CBeebies | Animation for Sandworm segments only, produced by BBC Children's Production |
| Kerwhizz[13] | 2008–2011 | Co-production with BBC Children's Production and Studio 100 | |
| Stitich Up Showdown | 2009 | Nickelodeon UK | |
| Alphablocks | 2010–present | CBeebies | co-production with Alphablocks LTD |
| Olive the Ostrich[14] | 2011–2014 | Nick Jr. UK | |
| Tree Fu Tom[15] | 2012–2016 | CBeebies | Animation services only, produced by BBC Children's Production and FremantleMedia Kids & Family, owned by Boat Rocker Studios since 2018. |
| Q Pootle 5 | 2013–2014 | co-production with Snapper Productions and ZDF Studios | |
| Miffy's Adventures Big and Small[6] | 2015–2017 | Tiny Pop[16] KRO-NCRV (Netherlands) | co-production with Mercis BV and Telescreen |
| Go Jetters[17] | 2015–2020 | CBeebies | Animation services from season 2 to season 3, co-production with BBC Studios and BBC Children's Production |
| Digby Dragon[18] | 2016–2018 | Nick Jr. UK & Channel 5 | co-production with Aardman Animations |
| Mac & Izzy[19] | 2016 | YouTube | Co-production with WGBH Boston and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, owned by HarperCollins since 2021. |
| Numberblocks[20][21] | 2017–present | CBeebies | co-production with Alphablocks LTD |
| The Adventures of Paddington | 2019–2025 | Nick Jr. UK Gulli, M6 & Piwi+ (France) Nickelodeon (international) | co-production with StudioCanal, Heyday Films and Superprod Animation |
| It's Pony[22][23] | 2020–2022 | Nickelodeon UK Nickelodeon/Nicktoons (United States) | co-production with Nickelodeon Animation Studio |
| Pip and Posy[24][25] | 2021–present | Sky Kids, Channel 5 & Nick Jr. UK | co-production with Magic Light Pictures |
| Millie & Lou | 2022 | YouTube | |
| Big Tree City[26] | 2022 | Netflix | |
| Supertato | 2022–present | CBeebies Tencent Video (China) | Under Brighton Zoo, co-production with BBC Studios Kids & Family |
| Lego City: No Limits[27][28] | 2023–present | ITVX YouTube | co-production with The Lego Group |
| Mojo Swoptops[29] | 2024–present | CBeebies | co-production with Tararaboom |
| Wonderblocks | 2025–present | CBeebies | co-production with Alphablocks LTD |
| Untitled Doctor Who spin-off[30][31][32] | 2027–2029 | CBeebies |
Television shorts
[edit]| Title | Release date | Broadcaster | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superworm | 2021 | BBC One | co-production with Magic Light Pictures |
| The Smeds and the Smoos | 2022 |
List of awards and accolades
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Children's BAFTA | Animation | Those Scurvy Rascals | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Children's BAFTA | Short Form | Stitch Up Showdown | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Children's BAFTA | Short Form | My Favourite Bedtime Story | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Children's BAFTA | Breakthrough Talent | Adam Shaw | Won | |
| 2010 | Children's BAFTA | Learning - Primary | Alphablocks | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Children's BAFTA | Short Form | My Favourite Bedtime Story | Won | |
| 2012 | Children's BAFTA | Pre-School Animation | Tree Fu Tom | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Children's BAFTA | Independent Production Company | Blue Zoo Animation Studio | Won | |
| 2014 | Children's BAFTA | Short Form | Gumball Song | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Children's BAFTA | Independent Production Company | Blue Zoo Animation Studio | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Children's BAFTA | Independent Production Company | Blue Zoo Animation Studio | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Children's BAFTA | Learning | Numberblocks | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Children's BAFTA | Independent Production Company | Blue Zoo Animation Studio | Won | |
| 2018 | BAFTA Films | Short Film | Mamoon | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Children's BAFTA | Pre-School Animation | Digby Dragon | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Children's BAFTA | Pre-School Animation | Numberblocks | Won | |
| 2020 | Annies | Best TV/Media - Preschool | The Adventures of Paddington | Won | |
| 2020 | Annies | Best Voice Acting - TV/Media | It's Pony | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Annies | Best Production Design - TV/Media | The Adventures of Paddington | Nominated | |
| 2016 | PromaxBDA UK | Best Direct Response Promo | Bitesize | Won | |
| 2015 | PromaxBDA UK | Best Channel Identity | Nick Jr Rebrand | Won | |
| 2015 | PromaxBDA UK | Best Sponsorship Package | LEGO Star Wars Rebels | Won | |
| 2021 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Pre-School Children's Animated Series | The Adventures of Paddington | Won | |
| 2021 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Writing for a Pre-School Animated Program | The Adventures of Paddington | Won | |
| 2021 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Directing for a Pre-School Animated Program | The Adventures of Paddington | Nominated | |
| 2024 | British Animation Awards | Children's Choice | Lego City: No Limits[33] | Nominated | |
| 2024 | British Animation Awards | Best Cutting Edge | Silly Duck[34] | Nominated |
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Growth capital: Blue Zoo are a trio who got animated about a venture into cartoons". Evening Standard. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ↑ Wolfe, Jennifer (2018-12-19). "'Blue Zoo Opens New 2D Animation Studio in London". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
- ↑ "Blue Zoo and Plug-In Media partner on new studio". Kidscreen. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
- ↑ televisual.com (2021-09-29). "Blue Zoo gets B Corp status". Televisual. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
- ↑ Adams, Cathy (10 December 2009). "Cake surfs Dailymotion for new series". C21Media.
- 1 2 "Miffy gets CGI reboot". C21Media. April 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Blue Zoo launches new brand rights company with Alison Warner at the helm". UK Screen Alliance. July 2, 2019.
- ↑ "6 UK Projects To Watch Out For At Cartoon Forum 2019". Skwigly. 17 September 2019.
- ↑ Miligan, Mercedes (August 16, 2021). "Blue Zoo & Plug-In Media Join Forces as Regional Creative Powerhouse". Animation Magazine.
- ↑ Miligan, Mercedes (October 24, 2022). "Blue Zoo & Plug-In Media Launch Regional Studio Brighton Zoo". Animation Magazine.
- ↑ "Kazoo Animation".
- ↑ "Blue Zoo Animation".
- ↑ Castlemann, Lana (April 14, 2009). "Studio 100 snags another CBeebies deal". Kidscreen.
- ↑ Goldman Getzler, Wendy (February 10, 2011). "UK students tapped to illustrate new TV series". Kidscreen.
- ↑ "CBeebies Commissions 'Tree Fu Tom' Series". Animation Magazine. April 4, 2011.
- ↑ Franks, Nico (August 20, 2015). "UK network adds Miffy toon". C21Media.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (June 9, 2015). "CBeebies Commissions 'Go Jetters'". Animation Magazine.
- ↑ Goldman Getzler, Wendy (October 8, 2013). "UK creatives give life to Digby Dragon". Kidscreen.
- ↑ Whyte, Alexandra (November 18, 2016). "YouTube Kids bows HMH original". Kidscreen.
- ↑ "CBeebies Grown-Ups 🎉 (@CBeebiesHQ) on X". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ White, Alexandra (January 20, 2017). "CBeebies bows new Numberblocks series". Kidscreen.
- ↑ "Nickelodeon Greenlights Original Animated Comedy Series Pony" (Press release). Nickelodeon. March 6, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- ↑ Mercedes Milligan (March 6, 2018). "Nick Upfront 2018: Original Pony, Loud House Spin-Off, Blue's Clues Remake Coming Soon". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ↑ "ViacomCBS and Sky take up Magic Light Pictures' pre-school animated series, 'Pip and Posy". Animation Xpress. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ↑ Whyte, Alexander (25 February 2019). "Magic Light goes long with Pip & Posy". Kidscreen. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ↑ Foster, Elizabeth (October 1, 2021). "Netflix orders four new preschool series". Kidscreen.
- ↑ "New Lego City – No Limits animated series officially revealed". Brick Fanatics. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ↑ "LEGO City Animation | Longform & IP | Blue Zoo".
- ↑ "Home grown talent, animations and culturally relevant co-productions lead the way as BBC Children's announce new commissions". BBC. October 16, 2023.
- ↑ Hibbs, James (17 December 2025). "New Doctor Who spin-off series gets major update from BBC following "exceptionally competitive" bidding process". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ↑ Kahn, Ellie (17 December 2025). "Blue Zoo lands CBeebies Doctor Who animation". Broadcast. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (12 June 2025). "'Doctor Who' Animated Preschool Series Sets Coordinates for CBeebies". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ↑ "Children's Choice".
- ↑ "Best Cutting Edge".